This invention relates to rope handling apparatus, and more particularly, to apparatus for stopping and holding a rope.
There are many applications where a rope must be stopped from further pay out and held under tension. Examples of such applications are as follows:
1. The installation of tactical tanker offloading pipeline systems;
2. As a safety device to prevent runaway of a line in the event of a mishap while catheading a line; and
3. To hold a ship's mooring line under tension without slippage. There are, of course, numerous other applications in which a line must be stopped and held as will be apparent to those skilled in the art. This invention provides a rope stopping and holding system that is relatively simple in construction and is easily incorporated into a rope handling system. The apparatus of this invention when engaged will stop the further pay out of a rope and will hold a rope uner high tension without any slippage. When disengaged, the apparatus permits free movement of the rope without any interference to the paying out and retrieving of the rope.